Looking Toward Tomorrow

Bob Schaller

7/9/2009

2009 is now half over. Maryland’s 375th Anniversary campaign has been a success so far and has good momentum going into the second half of 2009. More importantly, the added focus on the Mother County is a timely investment for the coming years.

Locally, we received some mixed news on the economy late last week. The County’s unemployment rate increased in May to 5.6% by the same amount it did across the state (7.1%) and nation (9.4%). An uptick is typical this time of year because of seasonal changes that occur in May. In fact, 20 of 23 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City all experienced unemployment increases in May. Only the most western counties, Garrett and Allegany, and most eastern, Worcester County (Ocean City) saw reductions. Seasonal changes benefit these locations more than the heart of the state. The good news is that we maintained the important buffer between our rate and the state and national rates. Also, St. Mary’s still has the 3rd lowest unemployment in the state behind Montgomery and Howard Counties. Analysts are projecting that unemployment will continue to increase throughout 2009 before stabilizing. We’re going to follow this trend but we are fortunate to have the cushion we have to soften the impact.

Besides low unemployment, a few other quick economic acts about St. Mary’s County are worth repeating. We have the youngest population of any county (and Baltimore City) in the state. Think about what that means in terms of schools, parks, services, etc. The oft-heard description of the County as a great place to raise a family makes a lot of sense. According to the Maryland Department of Planning, we have the fastest growing labor force projected in all of Maryland. In other words, high skill jobs will continue to drive our economy. The emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy, the Finance Academy, the Academy of Global and International Studies, the Forrest Career and Technology Center, higher education partnerships with University of Maryland’s Engineering School and others are all geared at home-growing some of this projected workforce.

We also have the 2nd fastest growing population and 2nd fastest growing median income in the state. The jobs that are here are plentiful and of high quality, and bring highly skilled and educated workers. Finally, and probably most significant in terms of quality of life, we have the highest in-commute rate of any large county in the state. In other words, better than 70% of the people who live here also work here. That is very unique and provides tremendous opportunity to businesses who serve this community.

All that said we are not without challenges. To start is the current state of the economy. This is cyclical and will improve with time. Even so, those who aren’t part of the high-skill economy such as the construction trades, small businesses, farmers, watermen, and other sectors continue to face major adjustments.

Longer term the County will need to absorb and sustain new growth, while maintaining existing communities and services and preserving our heritage, farmland, and unique way of life. It’s a delicate balancing act. The 6-year Comprehensive Plan update underway is a central element to guiding our future. Land use policy defines what can be done where. The Comp Plan is our chief land use policy document and will be what guides changes in our Zoning Ordinance.

I invite you to participate in this important discussion about our future by taking part in the public process of the Comp Plan. Last week the first public hearing hosted by the Planning Commission was held in Lexington Park. There was a great turnout including many who spoke on topics large and small. It was televised and is available for view on Ch95 and at our website. Two more public hearings will be held in July: Monday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Chopticon High School, and Monday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m., in the Commissioners meeting room at the Governmental Center. Please try to attend or view on Ch95. There will be another round of public hearings hosted by the County Commissioners later in the fall. I strongly encourage everyone to engage in this process as we look forward to the County’s future well beyond

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